Grimsby Town: Tying down 30-year-old to a longer deal is a no-brainer - View | OneFootball

Striker and captain Danny Rose is out of contract next summer. Integral to the side in many ways, Grimsby need to be offering him fresh terms ASAP.

There weren't too many positives for Grimsby Town during a very difficult 2023/24 League Two season last time out. One bright spark, however, was the addition of striker Danny Rose, who did more than most to keep his club afloat in the Football League. With the experienced attacker's contract running into its final year, it seems a fairly straightforward decision for the Mariners to look to extend his stay as soon as possible, given his importance to the side.

30-year-old Rose started out at hometown club Barnsley, making 18 first-team appearances for the Tykes before moving on to Bury in 2014 following an initial loan spell at Gigg Lane when the Shakers were a League Two outfit.

Later moving on to fellow fourth-tier side Mansfield Town at the age of 23, Rose was beginning to make a name for himself as an up-and-coming talent in the lower half of the EFL.

Not necessarily just for his goals either, as despite being around 5 ft 8' tall, the striker possesses a brilliant leap, allowing him to become a great foil for forward runners and strike partners.

Physically strong, he's long had the ability to hold the ball up when required, along with the nous to win free-kicks to either provide an attacking threat or relieve pressure on his defence.

Also playing in League One for Northampton Town for a season, Rose eventually joined Stevenage in 2022, helping them to promotion to the third-tier in his sole season with the club, before Grimsby brought him to Blundell Park for an undisclosed fee 14 months ago.

By-and-large, the seasoned striker has spent much of his career towards the top end of League Two, playing for sides that picked up results on a regular basis, and that winning mentality combined with genuine footballing intelligence has seen him continue to flourish at the level for a long period of time.

Striker quickly became a reliable performer in a Grimsby shirt

As Hurst's side initially began the 2022/23 season in solid fashion, Rose stood out as a consistent focal point spearheading the Mariners' attack.

The striker's experience and leadership qualities saw him installed as captain, a role he was wholly committed to, even as Grimsby's season began to spiral and the management team were replaced by current boss David Artell in the Blundell Park dugout.

Rose led by example, and from the front, with his infectious work rate and desire vital in dragging his colleagues over the line as the campaign headed towards a conclusion. Predictably picking up the club's end of season Player of the Year awards, the forward was also comfortably his side's top goalscorer, and all-in-all, vital to everything his team did well on the pitch.

His role as a penalty box defender of opposing set-pieces cannot be understated, too, with the former Mansfield man regularly putting his body on the line in assisting his teammates and proving an effective presence in front of his goalkeeper.

The striker's overall game has been, and still remains, imperative to a Grimsby side lacking League Two experience on the whole, and seeing him put pen to paper on a new deal would only be beneficial, and a huge boost to all associated with the club.

Rose is still in his prime and one of the physically fittest players at the club

While Rose is still building fitness after a summer of recovery from an ankle injury picked up towards the end of last season, there are signs that he's not far away from playing 90 minutes regularly already.

The 30-year-old striker is at the peak of his career physically, and proved last season that he was one of the fittest players at the club. Be it pressing from the front, closing down opponents, dropping back to help in midfield or defending his penalty area, Rose is the very definition of an all-action footballer.

Now getting back up to speed, Mariners' fans can look forward to seeing those wholehearted, fully committed displays once more over the coming weeks and months.

Add that to the aforementioned leadership qualities and the positive impact he has on his colleagues on a weekly basis, it seems a no-brainer for the Mariners to extend the fan favourite's stay at Blundell Park at the earliest convenience.